Games to Play When the Internet Is Down (No Wi-Fi Needed)
Published · Last updated
When the internet goes down you have three kinds of games left: the ones built into your browser or device, the ones you saved for offline play before the connection dropped, and the ones that need no screen at all. If you are reading this while you still have a signal, the best move is to spend two minutes getting the second kind ready now, because a web game that was never loaded cannot start without a connection.
This guide covers all three, explains how offline browser games work, and helps you pick something that fits the time you have.
The short answer
- Using Chrome right now? The dinosaur game on Chrome’s “No internet” page is always there. You can also open it on purpose by typing
chrome://dinoin the address bar. - Using Microsoft Edge? Edge has its own built-in surfing game at
edge://surf. - Already prepared? Any web game that supports offline play and was opened at least once before the outage will still start. All eighteen games on NoInternet Arcade work that way.
- Nothing saved and no signal? Skip ahead to the pen-and-paper section. Some of the best time-killers need nothing but a pencil.
Games already built into your browser
Browser makers know people get stuck offline, and two of them hide a game behind the error page.
Chrome shows a small dinosaur on the “No internet” page. Press Space (or tap the dinosaur on a phone) and it starts running; you jump over cacti and the game speeds up the longer you survive. It is the reason “dino game” is one of the most searched game terms on the web.
Edge has a surfing game. Type edge://surf in the address bar, or wait for the offline page to offer it.
Safari and Firefox do not ship a built-in game. On those browsers, offline play depends on what you saved earlier.
These built-in games are great for a minute or two. If you want more variety, longer sessions, or something that plays the same on every browser and phone, that is where offline-ready web games come in.
How offline-ready web games work
A normal website is downloaded every time you open it, so it fails when the connection does. An offline-ready site installs a small helper in your browser, called a service worker, the first time you visit. The service worker saves the game’s code, graphics and sounds on your device, and the next time you open the page, it serves them from there. No connection needed.
The one condition is simple: you have to open the site once while you are online. After that, the games load from your device.
On NoInternet Arcade you can watch this happen. The footer at the bottom of every page shows “Saving games for offline…” with a counter while the games download, then ”✓ Ready to play offline” when everything is stored. Some older or low-memory phones save a lighter set (every game plus the main pages, but not reading pages like this blog), so it never floods a weak device.
If you want the games to open like an app, from their own icon and without browser bars, you can install the arcade to your home screen. Our guide on how to install a web game as an app walks through every phone and browser.
Pick a game for the time you have
An outage can last thirty seconds or a whole evening. Here is what fits each.
| Time you have | Try | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Under a minute | Pixel Raptor, Nib’s Flight | Instant restart, rounds last seconds |
| To calm down | Calm Shelf | Pop, slice and spin fidget toys, no score, no timer |
| A few minutes | Pixel Snake, Sky Stack, Jump Up, Splat Swords | One round is a short, complete challenge |
| 10 to 20 minutes | Maze Muncher, Brick Tanks, Web Crawler, Pixel Rebound, Coin Tide | Levels and runs that build up |
| A long outage | Pixel Summer Games, Pixel Winter Games, Pixel Pitch, Pixel Racer, Pixel Grocer | Championships, full matches and a shop that grows day by day |
A few notes on the longer ones. A Pixel Pitch match lasts 2 to 8 minutes of play, depending on what you choose in Options. Pixel Racer’s Championship races every track for points and saves after every race, so you can stop and pick it up later. Pixel Summer Games runs six events in a row and Pixel Winter Games four, each with qualifying marks that keep you hooked.
All of these are single-player. If you are stuck offline with other people, take turns and compare scores, or use the paper games below.
No signal and nothing saved: games with no screen
If you never loaded anything, these still work, and they are better with company:
- Dots and boxes. Draw a grid of dots and take turns joining two neighbors. Close a box and you claim it and go again.
- Hangman or 20 questions for word lovers.
- Tic-tac-toe on a 5×5 grid where you need four in a row. Much less likely to end in a draw than the 3×3 version.
- Battleships on two sheets of squared paper.
- Word chain. Each word must start with the last letter of the previous one. No repeats.
They are also a good reminder that a dead router can be a decent excuse for a break.
Before the next outage: a two-minute checklist
- Open the arcade while you are online and wait for ”✓ Ready to play offline” in the footer.
- Start one round of each game you like. It is a good habit, even though the whole set is saved in the background.
- Install it to your home screen if you play on a phone, so the games are one tap away.
- Test it. Turn on airplane mode, open the games from your home screen or bookmark, and start a round.
- Do not clear site data for the site, and avoid private or incognito windows, which do not keep the saved files.
That is it. The games keep themselves up to date whenever you are back online, and an update never interrupts a run in progress.
What works and what doesn’t while you are offline
Being offline changes less than you might think:
- Gameplay: everything works. Every mode, every difficulty, every setting.
- High scores and settings: saved on your device as you play.
- Online leaderboards: need a connection and a signed-in account, so runs you play offline stay on your device and do not post to the boards.
- Signing in, daily quests and rewards: need a connection.
So an outage is a fine time to practice. When the connection comes back, sign in and play online when you want a run to count.
FAQ
Can I play the Chrome dinosaur game without Chrome?
Not that exact game, because it is part of Chrome. If you want a dinosaur runner on Safari, Firefox or any phone, Pixel Raptor is an original game in the same spirit that runs in any modern browser and works offline after your first visit. We compare a few options in Chrome dino game alternatives.
Why won’t the game load now that I’m offline?
It was probably never saved. A web game has to be opened at least once while you are online. Also check that you are not in a private window and that you have not cleared the site’s data. Once your connection is back, open the site and wait for the footer to say it is ready.
Do offline games use mobile data?
Not while you are offline, obviously, and not much when you are online either. The first visit downloads a few megabytes. After that, playing a saved game uses no data; online, only small score submissions and occasional updates go over the network.
Are there multiplayer games that work without internet?
Not on NoInternet Arcade: every game is single-player against the computer or the clock. For a group, pass the phone around and compete for the high score, or switch to the paper games above.
Is all of this free?
Yes. The games are free to play. The site shows ads when you are online, and an optional Ad-Free Pass removes them. See free browser games with no download or sign-up for exactly how the arcade is paid for.
For a bigger picture of how offline web games work, and a tour of all eighteen, read the best browser mini games that work offline. Heading somewhere without a signal on purpose? See offline games for a flight.